PURCHASE, N.Y.- Sophomore John Delahanty (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) registered three hits and the eventual game-winning home run against Delaware Valley on Friday afternoon, helping the Manhattanville baseball team take down the Aggies by a final score of 5-4 in Freedom Conference play.
 
Delahanty went 3-for-3 at the plate with a homer and two runs scored for Manhattanville (16-13, 9-5 Freedom), leading the offensive charge in the Valiant win over Delaware Valley (8-13, 2-8 Freedom). Sophomore Dillon Healy (Hastings, N.Y./Hastings) (5-1) picked up his fifth win of the season on the mound, tossing seven strong innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. The Valiants had a 5-2 lead headed into the final inning, but the Aggies brought the game within one run before senior Joe Palmeri (Mastic, N.Y./Eastport/South Manor) closed the door for the save.
 
The Valiants opened up the game in the first inning of play as junior Jake McGrath (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) knocked in Delahanty on a single up the middle to make it 1-0. Manhattanville came right back in the second inning, tallying three runs to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Senior Bobby Guerra (Bronx, N.Y./Arlington) smoked an RBI double to left field, which was followed by an RBI triple from classmate Kevin Brady (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep). Brady was eventually brought home on a sacrifice fly from senior Jeff Moskowitz (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury), giving the Valiants a 4-0 lead after two innings.
 
Healy dominated Delaware Valley for the first six innings, shutting down the Aggies left and right The Aggies finally got on Healy in the seventh, scoring two runs to pull within two. Kevin Crill brought in Delaware Valley's first run on a fielder's choice before Ben Lippincott connected on an RBI single through the left side, making it 4-2. Sophomore William Morh relieved Healy's duties at the start off the eighth, pitching 1 1/3 innings, allowing two runs that came off a two-out error. With a 4-2 lead headed into the eighth, Delahanty led off the inning with a homer off the Manhattanville Field scoreboard in left, giving the Valiants a crucial insurance run headed into the last inning.
 
Mohr reentered in the ninth, putting two runners on base after two consecutive one-out hits by Delaware Valley. Senior TJ Hewett entered for the Valiants to face one of the conference's top hitters in Kyle Wenger. Hewett got the job done in the lefty versus lefty matchup, having Wenger groundout to sophomore Joe Anselmi (North Rockland, N.Y./North Rockland) at first base. With Wenger moving the runners into scoring position, senior Joe Anselmi (North Rockland, N.Y./North Rockland) relieved Hewett on the mound with two outs. Palmeri, Manhattanville's all-time leader in saves, rolled a groundball to third base, but it was overthrown by sophomore Robbie Lynch (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) to make it 5-4. The Aggies had the tying run on second base before Palmeri had Corey White fly out to Guerra in right field. Palmeri picked up his first save of the season, helping Manhattanville move into third place in the Freedom Conference with the 5-4 win over the Aggies.
 
The Valiants will travel to Delaware Valley tomorrow for a two-game series scheduled to start at noon. Live stats can be accessed via GoValiants.com.